iPhone 18 Pro Max: Exiting Leaks You Need to Know.

Apple’s custom modem and advanced optics could redefine iPhone photography and connectivity.

Even though the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max won’t be released for another eight months, there are already a lot of rumors about them.

Rumored features for the iPhone 18 Pro variants as of January 2026 are listed below:

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are said to include differing screen sizes, a see-through MagSafe region, and other features.

Even though the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air won’t be available for a few more days, there are already early reports about what the iPhone 18 Pro will look like.

The iPhone 18 Pro models will feature the same design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to Digital Chat Station, a leaker with over three million followers on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

The smartphones will have the same rear camera configuration as the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a post made today by the leaker. The triangle-shaped “plateau” will accommodate three lenses. Additionally, he believes that the 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screens that have been used since the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max would be used in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The Ceramic Shield area on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro versions will have a “slightly transparent design,” according to the leaker, though they did not specify what that meant.

A stainless steel vapor chamber cooling system will be included in the iPhone 18 Pro models, according to the report. Apple claims that the vapor chamber on the iPhone 17 Pro models is laser-welded into the aluminum unibody, but it’s unclear if any additional metal is used. In the upcoming days, teardowns will enable a more thorough examination of the vapor chamber.

Under-screen Face ID is among the features of the iPhone 18 Pro that have been leaked in a recent report.

According to a recent claim by Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu of The Information, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max from next year will include under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be relocated to the upper-left corner of the screen.

The report also stated that the pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen will not be present in the iPhone 18 Pro variants due to these changes.

However, the devices will have the same appearance as the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to the report.

A new report reveals features of the iPhone 18 Pro, such as under-screen Face ID.

According to the rumor, Apple also plans to include a mechanical iris on at least one rear camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models, allowing for variable aperture.

The primary 48-megapixel camera on iPhone 18 Pro models will have variable aperture, which allows users to adjust how much light passes through the camera’s lens and reaches the sensor, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

All of the iPhone 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro models’ primary cameras have a fixed aperture of ¾/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and taking pictures with this largest aperture. Users would have more control over depth of field with the iPhone 18 Pro models since they could manually adjust the aperture.

However, it’s unclear how significant this improvement would be given that iPhones have fewer image sensors due to design limitations.

The current iPhone 17 Pro models have a glass cutout at the back for MagSafe charging, and the aluminum frame of the iPhone 17 Pro differs in color from the Ceramic Shield 2 cutout, giving the models a two-tone appearance.

Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital claims that this will change on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple is said to have altered the back-glass “replacement process” for the upcoming iPhones in order to remove the color contrast between the glass and the aluminum frame, giving them a more consistent look.

The allegation may be consistent with another rumor, also from China, that the Ceramic Shield will have a “slightly transparent design.” The latter description was provided in September by leaker Digital Chat Station, who also revealed that the iPhone 18 Pro models will have a similar appearance to the iPhone 17 Pro models.

The source of today’s rumor, Instant Digital, has previously correctly leaked Apple details, including the Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the yellow finish for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The account’s history isn’t flawless, though.

According to reports, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max include Apple’s C2 modem instead of a Qualcomm modem and A20 Pro CPUs, which are manufactured using TSMC’s most recent 2nm technology. In September 2026, both versions are expected to debut alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone.

There are rumors that the iPhone 18 Pro will support full 5G satellite internet.

“Apple plans to add support in upcoming iPhones as early as next year for 5G networks that aren’t tethered to Earth’s surface, which includes satellites,” the report stated. “That would give the iPhone full internet access over satellite,” it stated.

The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the long-rumored foldable iPhone would probably be the first models to offer full 5G satellite internet if the earliest 2026 timeline is met. The regular iPhone 18 would then likely follow in March 2027.

There is presently no service that provides complete 5G satellite internet straight to a smartphone, even if compatibility is created.

On iPhone 14 models and later, Apple’s satellite capability is restricted to the Emergency SOS feature, the Find My and Messages apps, and roadside assistance; similarly, T-Mobile’s Starlink service is restricted to a few features and applications. You must be able to see the sky clearly in order to use either option.

The specifications of the iPhone 17e and iPhone 18 Pro modem are leaked online.

Apple’s internal code indicates that Apple is still choosing between the C1X and C2 for the iPhone 18 Pro and suggests that the iPhone 17e may include Apple’s first-generation C1-series cellular modem technology while disregarding Apple’s N1 wireless processor.

These facts came from a macOS Kernel Debug Kit that was later removed by Apple and was not meant to be made public.

The coding for the iPhone 17e indicated that it might use a C1 or C1X modem but not an N1 wireless chip. The device will use the C1X modem, which is a logical improvement over the C1 processor in the iPhone 16e, according to the information released today.

The absence of the N1 wireless processor could be significant since, even if the iPhone 17e uses an Apple-designed cellular baseband, it might not enable Thread.

The internal code for Apple’s upcoming Pro iPhones paints a less clear picture. At the time the kernel debug kit was developed, Apple had not fully committed to the C2 across all configurations, as seen by the iPhone 18 Pro being referenced in separate rows with both C1X and C2 basebands. Even though the baseband option was still being researched, Apple clearly anticipates that N1 will only be available in the Pro versions.

There is no assurance that these are the final specifications because the information was taken from Apple’s internal code. While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are anticipated to premiere in the fall of 2026, the iPhone 17e is scheduled to debut in the spring.

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